Hallie Iglehart Austen grew up on a farm and has lived close to the earth for most of her life. Her lifelong interest in goddesses began at the age of twelve when she started studying ancient Greek language and mythology at Bryn Mawr School. After graduating from Brown University, she drove from England to Nepal and back again over the course of a year. This journey, described in her book, Womanspirit, led to her synthesis of spirituality and feminism, which she first started teaching in 1974. She has led workshops, rituals and conferences at the University of California, United Nations International Women’s Conference, and Graduate Theological Union among others. She created Womanspirit Meditations and collected worldwide Goddess art, myth and meditations in her book, The Heart of the Goddess.
In 2001, driven by her love of marine life, she co-founded Seaflow: Protect Our Living Oceans to educate people about the dangers of active sonars and other ocean noise to whales, dolphins and all sea life. Hallie continued her passion for sustainable living by building two model green homes, one in bamboo. In 2010, she initiated All One Ocean: Cleaning Up the Oceans, One Beach at a Time.
Hallie uses Austen as her last name, to honor her matrilineal heritage. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and offers private consultations and classes.
